Spiritual Formation Lessons

Teaching toward transformation is one of my passions. I love bringing Scripture and theology alive in people’s lives so that they can apply them toward growth and work in the world.

Below are some of the lessons I’ve created for Adult Formation classes in different parishes. Each is adapted to the local needs and interests of the group, but can be seen as examples of the kind of work I do.

My illustration of the cosmic model underlying early Genesis, first created for my book.

My illustration of the cosmic model underlying early Genesis,
first created for my book.

 

The Primordial History

The first eleven chapters of Genesis are full of parables and myths that continue to reverberate through and challenge our world today. In 2017 I created a series of six lessons including unique translations of the Hebrew that introduce the texts and contexts for folks to apply toward their own spiritual journeys. Contact me if you want them formatted to print in booklets for your own classes.

Visual timeline of the development of the Hebrew Bible; download PDF.

 

The Bible: A Human Library

This three-part series looks at what scripture is across different religious traditions, and then examines the development process of what has come to be the Christian Scriptures.

Orthodox icon: Nativity of Our Lord

 

The First Christmas

This four-part Advent series read and compared the different birth narratives in scripture, looking for layers of meaning. We read each of the biblical accounts carefully before turning to discussing the material in the handouts.

  1. Text and Contexts

  2. Through the Eyes of Matthew
    (reading: Matthew’s Nativity)

  3. Luke’s Accurate Account
    (reading: Luke’s Parallel Accounts)

  4. Beginning Again
    (readings: John’s Prologue & Revelation)

Illumination featuring Sophia, the embodiment of wisdom

Wisdom: Epiphany and Enlightenment

This series for the Season after Epiphany (offered in 2020) explores the Wisdom writings in our scriptures and pairs them with introducing spiritual practices.

  1. Starting the Conversation + Reading: Proverbs

  2. Going Within + Reading: Psalms

  3. Accessing Wisdom (Centering Prayer) + Reading: Wisdom

  4. Wisdom as Depth (Lectio Divina) + Reading: Ecclesiasticus

  5. Connections of Wisdom (Chanting Psalms) + Song of Songs

  6. Seeing Through Wisdom (Praying with Icons) + Ecclesiastes

 

Anglicanism 101: Confirmation

In five sessions, created with the Season of Lent in mind, we explore the distinctives of the Anglican tradition to which the Episcopal Church belongs.

  1. Anglican Belonging

  2. Anglican Story

  3. Anglican Saints

  4. Anglican Identity

  5. Anglican Prayer

Orthodox icon of The Resurrection of Christ

 

Re-reading Resurrection

During one Easter season (2018) we made a close reading of the Resurrection texts in Scripture and the overall understanding of the afterlife from the oldest Old Testament texts to Daniel and Maccabees over five sessions.

  1. A Conversation: Immortality, Resurrection, and the Afterlife

  2. Afterlife Ideas Developing in the Ancient World

  3. Gospel Accounts of the Resurrection

  4. Resurrection Throughout the New Testament

  5. Sharing in the Resurrection

JesusTeaching.jpg
 

Doctrines Series

In 2018 our theologically-progressive and tradition-skeptical discussion group explored some basic doctrines in search of expanding our understandings of what is possible in the tradition and taking as our theme:

True doctrine heals; it is a “doctor for our souls.”

bible-waiting-to-be-read-in-church.jpg
 

Assorted Lessons

The following are a variety of one-off lessons I have created for various sessions.

I’ve also taught on the topic of the spiritual development and the Stages of Faith in a variety of different settings and styles.

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Icons of the Church Year